5 Presentation Mistakes That Annoy The Heck Out Of Me

by Paul Castain on April 8, 2012

1) Starting off by saying “Good Morning” and no matter how loud or enthusiastic we reply, you play the old “Let’s try that again!” card. Right off the bat you have told me that you’re like every other presenter. Oh, and apparently I’m an idiot because I don’t know how to say “good morning” properly! Thanks for that vote of confidence jackass!

2) All Fluff, No Substance! Cute phrases, cool slides and slick presentation skills should never be a substitute for content and yet I see so many presenters making this mistake. The problem with this approach is that their speech becomes a red bull adrenaline rush that ends with a debilitating crash when participants realize “Holy Schnikees . . . we just got a whole lotta nothing”

3) All Substance No Fluff. Nothing induces “outer body experiences” faster than spewing all kinds of facts and figures without a little window dressing. Conversely, I’ve seen skilled presenters take absolutely boring content and deliver it with stories, analogies, humor, strong visuals etc. Fluff and substance can actually live quite nicely together when they’re equal partners!

4) Being Totally Unprepared To The Point That . . . they look at the slide and actually say “Let’s see what this slide says” Here’s what that translates into “If I couldn’t bother to know my own material, then why should you bother to learn it?”Not even the slightest bit bueno folks! An all caps UNACCEPTABLE!

5) Failing To Cite Sources For Your Data: Telling me that “According to a recent study the average person sends and receives 110 emails per day” might as well be stated as “I read this on the bathroom wall at the airport” Its meaningless and doesn’t build credibility. Instead, how about “According to a recent study conducted by Radicatti Group, the average person sends and receives 110 emails per day”. Sounds way too specific for me to be yanking your chain. No?

Your turn . . . What are some presentation faux pas that tend to get on your nerves?

For those of you who would like to present your ideas with greater impact (one on one and to groups) . . . come join us for our two part webinar Presenting Your Solutions With Impact. Click here for details!

English is my second language, so I always try my best to memorize everything. But sometimes it’s normal to be blank when you stand in front of a podium. However, memorize it + index cards+ witty tones can make a good presentation. I think it’s never a bad thing to be well- prepared